I heard on the local TV news this morning that Americal LaFrance is closing again because of financial problems. They had recently moved out of their facilities near Summerville SC and moved to a smaller warehouse off Cypress Gardens Road near Moncks Corner SC. Their old facilities I believe are now going to be a distribution center for Kawasaki (?) The news report stated that all three ALF plants were closing across America, but the ALF Museum in North Charleston SC would remain in operation. The city I think had made an agreement with ALF to keep the museum when they donated the land for the museum. What next? Who knows....

Latest Update -MONCKS CORNER - When firetruck maker American LaFrance shut its doors last week, it left behind about $650,000 in debt to Berkeley County.The company moved to Spring Grove Drive in Moncks Corner in August, according to its Facebook page. Before that, it was housed at Jedburg Commerce Park in Summerville.The firetruck maker had about 150 employees locally. It also closed sites in Ephrata, Pa., and Los Angeles last week.Patriarch Partners (American LaFrance owners) issued a written statement about American LaFrance that said, in part: "Unfortunately, the company's unexpected current financial condition requires the discontinuation of operations in these locations at this time and these facilities are not expected to reopen."On Tuesday, New York-based Patriarch Partners filed a document with the Berkeley County Register of Deeds that serves as an ownership claim to "all assets" American LaFrance has in its Moncks Corner factory.The abrupt shutdown of emergency vehicle manufacturer American LaFrance last week will have no immediate effect on the North Charleston and American LaFrance Fire Museum and Educational Center, according to city officials.The $6.6 million museum, built and operated by the city, houses what the museum calls "the priceless corporate collection of American LaFrance antique vehicles," along with exhibits about firefighting and fire safety. The vehicles are on loan to the museum under a 2006 agreement with American LaFrance.